Harare — IN a bid to maintain inclusivity in the government of national unity (GNU), the three governing political parties have agreed that Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, should be accorded official slots in future national events such as next week's Heroes and Armed Forces holidays.

There has been an outcry especially from the two formations of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) that President Robert Mugabe, the ZANU-PF first secretary, has been monopolising all national events at the expense of the other partners in the GNU, rendering Prime Minister Tsvangirai a mere figurehead or junior partner in the coalition.

Sources familiar with the goings-on in the coalition government said this week the parties in government resolved to discuss the roles of the premier and other leaders in the GNU at future national events and State functions, including Independence Day.

Prime Minister Tsvangirai was conspicuous by his absence at the State burial of President Mugabe's sister, Sabina.

Party insiders said since the premier had no official role to play during the burial programme, he decided to stick to his pre-arranged schedule of drumming up support for the MDC-T in Matabeleland North and Bulawayo provinces where he addressed rallies.

Those close to him said protocol had not included him on the burial programme but his secretary general, Tendai Biti, attended the ceremony that was marred by the walk-out of some Western diplomats, which has in turn caused a diplomatic tiff between Harare and Western capitals.

In a bid to avoid future fallouts at national events, the issue of granting Tsvangirai a platform at all national events was raised this week's during a high-profile government meeting to strategise on next week's Heroes and Defence Forces celebrations penciled for August 9-10.

"During deliberations on the preparations for the Heroes and Defence Forces commemorations, it was agreed that no one should wear party regalia and the jingles being aired by the State broadcaster should not be played at the event venues. The MDC formations expressed concern why Prime Minister Tsvangirai and other leaders in the coalition have not been afforded platforms at all national events," said a source. "There was debate on how to overcome that anomaly and eventually it was agreed that the office of the Prime Minister and that of the President do the necessary policy requirements to ensure that Prime Minister Tsvangirai will have a slot at future events."

Welshman Ncube, the secretary general of the MDC-M and the party's chief negotiator, said the changes were in the offing to accommodate Prime Minister Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Mutambara.

"There is an agreement that the parties should discuss what role should be played by the other principals during national events in the future," said Ncube.

"It is not specific to say what slot should be given to whom but only to say what role the other principals should play," he said

MDC spokesperson, Nelson Chamisa, said the MDC-T's position has been that while it respected all national events, it has been the party's long-standing grievance that its leader, whose portfolio as premier includes supervising all government ministers, was being sidelined when it came to national events and other State functions.

"We may have issues around our desires to make the processes more reflective of being national events," said Chamisa.

The two MDC formations have also publicly stated that they want a say in the selection of national heroes and heroines.

Presently the ZANU-PF politburo, the former ruling party's supreme decision-making body outside congress, has the sole responsibility of selecting national figures to be buried at the national shrine.